The bedroom of the Imperial Palace.

Sinclair was seated on the Emperor’s bed, soaked with bright red blood.

“Crown Prince Hister will barge in here soon. By now, His Highness must have noticed that you are not in the Crown Prince’s Palace.”

Duke Heswin, who was addressing Sinclair, had a face filled with evident tension.

“Yes, he must have.”

“What do you plan to do this time?”

Sinclair was not the only one who dared to set foot in the Imperial Palace.

Lex had led the group, except for Count Wilter, to this place.

It was this very morning, in the bedroom of the Imperial Palace where the Emperor was brutally murdered.

“What is the situation outside the palace now, Lex?”

“Along with the Emperor’s death, rumors are endlessly spreading that you, Sir Sinclair, are the assassin. Moreover, with such a brutal death, public outrage is tremendous.”

“Heswin, have all the private soldiers gathered safely?”

“Yes. As soon as we heard the news that Hister had gone to the Crown Prince’s Palace, we summoned them all. They will arrive soon.”

“Anelli, what about the other branch families, excluding you?”

“The elders of the branch families, except for me, must already be in the Imperial Palace. They said they would come early anyway, as even Hister cannot openly attack the branch families, no matter what.”

“I see.”

Soon, the corners of Sinclair’s mouth drew a pleasing arc, and Duke Frederick, who was still frightened alone, quietly looked at Sinclair and parted his lips very carefully.

“What is… His Highness the Crown Prince’s plan?”

“You need to have a bit more composure, Frederick.”

Sinclair clicked his tongue and smirked.

“Even I am not stupid enough to gamble on a battle with no chance of winning.”

He then continued.

“My plan is simple.”

“If it’s simple…”

“Since Hister has laid out all the cards, all we need to do is reveal the truth. Just like now, in front of the great forces of Edenbell. Without a single lie, every detail.”

But how could that be possible? Although Hister was a bit of a fool, he wouldn’t have left evidence or witnesses proving that he was the Emperor’s assassin.

As if everyone was thinking the same thing, the nobles exchanged glances and showed signs of unease.

And it was at that very moment.

“Seize the traitor Sinclair Butler!”

With someone’s resounding command, Hister, the imperial soldiers, Lundbery, Rockford, and their private soldiers filled the corridor and barged into the Emperor’s bedroom.

“……”

Even seeing Hister barging in like that, Sinclair did not say a word.

He just got up slowly from his seat, as if asking what took him so long, with great composure.

“…Ha.”

As if infuriated by that sight, Hister sneered with a scowl.

“I wondered where you were and what you were doing… Were you perhaps praying for Father’s soul in a place like this, Sinclair?”

“Praying for his soul?”

“Or were you belatedly offering an apology?”

“As if.”

Sinclair answered with a smirk.

“I have no intention of praying for his soul, and the apology is not my role either… Do I look like the kind of person who would voluntarily do such tiresome things?”

“What?”

“You still underestimate me to a damned degree, Hister. Well, I’m quite grateful for that.”

As Sinclair slowly took steps towards him, Hister suddenly drew the sword at his waist.

“Sinclair Butler, the traitor who brutally murdered the Emperor of Edenbell.”

Then, glaring at Sinclair with fierce eyes with all his might, he spoke.

It seemed like he was trying his hardest not to lose the battle of wills, so Sinclair slightly lowered his head and burst into laughter.

…Of course, thanks to that, the atmosphere became even more ominous.

“Not only that, but you also broke up the five glorious families of Edenbell and instigated them to bring private soldiers to the Imperial Palace.”

“Oh, you seem to have found that out earlier than I expected.”

Not bad. Sinclair muttered to himself and turned his head. Then he looked at the wide open window on the opposite side.

There, he saw the private soldiers brought by Heswin, Wilter, Frederick, and Anelli in a confrontation.

“Now, even a passing dog would see me as a traitor.”

What on earth are you trying to do? The expressions of Heswin’s group, who were watching Sinclair speak with a blank face, subtly hardened.

“Throw Sinclair Butler into the underground prison right now!”

As if not wanting to be swayed by Sinclair’s words, Hister, tightly gripping the sword in his hand, shouted loudly.

“Reveal everything you have done so far in detail, and execute him in front of everyone!”

“Yes!”

At that moment, when the soldiers and private soldiers behind Hister were about to engulf Sinclair like a wave,

Lex, who was standing next to Sinclair, drew his greatsword and blocked them.

‘It’s that guy…!’

The unknown man who was in the same room when the Emperor was murdered.

The one who broke the window and fled.

In an instant, the face of Liam, Hister’s bodyguard knight who was about to rush at Sinclair, stiffened.

“There is a proper procedure for everything, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

Then Lex spoke in a heavy, settled voice.

“Isn’t it too hasty to make an excuse when the true culprit has not been properly revealed yet?”

Is he planning to report what he saw?

‘But there is no evidence. Moreover, there is nothing that can be insisted upon as a witness.’

…However, it was clear that it was safer to get rid of him.

Liam, who had been standing and biting his lips, suddenly swung his sword and charged at Lex, and Lex effortlessly parried Liam’s sword.

And while that was happening, Sinclair took steps with great composure.

Soon, he approached a side table next to the bedroom.

Reaching out his hand, Sinclair firmly grasped a splendid candlestick.

“Stupid bastard.”

As if finding Sinclair’s actions very amusing, Hister burst into laughter.

“It seems you’re trying to swing a candlestick. Indeed, befitting of Edenbell’s scoundrel.”

“Is that so?”

“Restrain Sinclair, and find Heswin, Frederick, Anelli, and even the absent Count Wilter, and arrest them all…”

And it was at that very moment.

“Didn’t you hear what Lex said, Hister?”

With a clicking sound, Sinclair detached the jewel embedded in the candlestick.

“If you act so hastily, you may become a candidate for a traitor, but you will never become a candidate for an emperor.”

“What?”

“Now, let’s see. Who the real culprit is. My patience is also wearing thin.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Sinclair tightly grasped the jewel in his hand with all his might.

The shining jewel shattered with a crumbling small noise…

At the same time, a scene that no one expected unfolded.

[How is your health?]

Hearing his own ominous voice and seeing the Emperor’s pale, frightened appearance unfold in the air, Hister’s face stiffened.

“It’s an image stone.”

“An… image stone…?”

“It’s not something you can easily see in Edenbell, where magic has not been properly developed.”

Sinclair continued with a smile.

“It’s very expensive and rare. As you can see, it can only be used once.”

[I have been quite distressed, unable to even sleep well every day due to worrying about Your Majesty.]

“But it’s worth that much.”

[Get out, get out right now!]

“It knows how to play its role very precisely and elaborately.”

[Lex! Is anyone there?]

…Lex?

Then, he had already placed that bastard by the Emperor’s side?

Hister’s eyes shook violently.

[Not that there isn’t. On the contrary, there are plenty. Outside, my men are all over the place, Your Majesty the Emperor whom I respect.]

Not only Heswin’s group but also Lundbery, Rockford, and Hister looked at the father and son’s images flickering before their eyes with stiff faces.

…Also, the imperial soldiers as well.

[I was concerned that you might feel lonely on your way, so I prepared this for you. Perhaps it does not meet your satisfaction? As I always thought, Your Majesty is always greedier than expected.]

“No, no…”

Hister began to mutter in a dazed voice, but his voice was nicely buried by his own voice that continued to be heard.

[If it weren’t for that, would you be tiredly clinging to life day by day in this state?] [Wh-what did you say…?] [If you had just died on your own, it would have been more convenient for both of us, you filthy old hag.]

“That… what is that…”

The mumbling voice of a dazed soldier was heard, and the face of the commander leading the soldiers subtly turned pale.

[If you had just not gone against my mood with that stupid head of yours, you could have at least extended your life a little.]

Soon, Hister in the video took the Emperor’s seal into his possession,

[Sinclair will soon follow, so don’t feel too lonely.]

He pushed the weakened Emperor away with all his might.

[Kill him.]

Then, he spoke in a very clear voice.

[He must be killed as brutally and cruelly as possible. So that the one who dared to assassinate the Emperor can incur even greater wrath.]

Having obtained what he wanted, Hister left the scene. As if the Emperor’s screams coming from behind had nothing to do with him.

[What, what is this? How dare you… How dare you to the Emperor of the Empire…]

The masked men mercilessly swung their longswords at the struggling Emperor. The bloodied Emperor collapsed and stopped moving before long, becoming a corpse.

That was the end of what the image stone showed of that day.

“……”

As everything ended like that, a very heavy and chilling silence fell upon the Emperor’s bedroom.

“Now, give it back just like that.”

Of course, the silence did not last long.

“Hister Butler, the traitor who brutally murdered the Emperor of Edenbell.”

Because Sinclair, who slowly got up from his seat, spoke in a voice filled with ridicule.

“Not only that, but you also broke up the five glorious families of Edenbell and instigated them to bring private soldiers to the Imperial Palace.”

Sinclair looked at the private soldiers behind Hister.

“…Reveal everything you have done so far in detail, and execute him in front of everyone. The same goes for Lundbery and Rockford who joined forces with him.”

Then, with eyes that had somehow turned as fierce as a burning fire, he said,

“Seize the traitor Hister Butler right now!”